Griz too much for Montana-Western
12/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Senior guard Kevin Criswell scored 21 points, sophomore forward Andrew Strait added 20 points, and all 12 players who suited up scored, as The University of Montana Grizzlies defeated the University of Montana-Western Bulldogs 110-71 Wednesday evening in front of 3,448 fans in the Grizzlies?? Dahlberg Arena.
It was the second most points scored in Montana school history, just one point off the record of 111 points scored in a 111-84 win over Idaho State in the 1965-66 season. The Griz have been over the century scoring mark only eight times in the past 21 seasons.
The Grizzlies 8-1 start is its best since the 1993-94 team won 13 straight to begin the season.
The Bulldogs (4-8), a N.A.I.A. Division I team from Dillon, hung with the Grizzlies (8-1) for the first 13-plus minutes of the game, but the Griz, who have now won eight straight games, never trailed in the contest.
A three-point shot by Bulldog junior guard Tyler Palmer with 6:49 left until halftime cut the Griz lead to two points (20-18), but Montana out-scored UM-Western 25 to 11 the rest of the half, and the Griz took a 45-29 lead into the locker room at intermission.
The Grizzlies put the game out of reach in the first few minutes of the second half, taking a 58-31 lead with 16:37 to go on a three-point shot by Criswell. The Grizzlies biggest lead was 38 points, when freshman forward Austin Swift scored on a lay-up with 5:37 to go, taking a 92-54 advantage.
Criswell made 8-of-13 shots from the field and 3-of-7 three-pointers. Strait, one of Division I??s leading field goal percentage shooters, made 10-of-15 shots, and is now shooting 67.7% (63-of-93) from the field this season.
Also in double figures for the Grizzlies were junior forward Matt Dlouhy with 12 points, while senior guard Virgil Matthews added 10.
Redshirt freshman Jordan Hasquet and ??true?? freshman Kyle Sharp each grabbed a game-high 8 rebounds, while Strait and Dlouhy each grabbed 7 boards, and Criswell and Swift had 6 apiece.
The Bulldogs were led in scoring by junior forward Wes Morales?? 17 points, while ??true?? freshman Charlie Cox, from Missoula??s Hellgate High School, scored 16 points, and sophomore guard Terry Hauser added 12 points.
Junior forward Kellen Ori led the Bulldogs with 6 rebounds.
The Griz?? 42-of-81 (51.9%) field goal attempts were season-highs and they made 8-of-19 (42.1%) treys. The Bulldogs were 23-of-58 (39.7%) from the floor and made 15-of-40 (37.5%) three-pointers.
The Grizzlies had a season-high 53 rebounds, and out-boarded the shorter Bulldogs, who suited up nine players, 53 to 26. The Griz also season-bests with 14 steals and 30 assists.
Next week the Griz make a trip to California, playing at UC Riverside on Monday, December 19, and at Santa Clara on Thursday, December 22. UM??s next game its trip to California is eight days later, a home contest on Friday December 30 against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers, a team that advanced to the NCAA??s ??Sweet 16" last season.
The Bulldogs host Northwest Nazarene on Friday, December 16.
It was the second most points scored in Montana school history, just one point off the record of 111 points scored in a 111-84 win over Idaho State in the 1965-66 season. The Griz have been over the century scoring mark only eight times in the past 21 seasons.
The Grizzlies 8-1 start is its best since the 1993-94 team won 13 straight to begin the season.
The Bulldogs (4-8), a N.A.I.A. Division I team from Dillon, hung with the Grizzlies (8-1) for the first 13-plus minutes of the game, but the Griz, who have now won eight straight games, never trailed in the contest.
A three-point shot by Bulldog junior guard Tyler Palmer with 6:49 left until halftime cut the Griz lead to two points (20-18), but Montana out-scored UM-Western 25 to 11 the rest of the half, and the Griz took a 45-29 lead into the locker room at intermission.
The Grizzlies put the game out of reach in the first few minutes of the second half, taking a 58-31 lead with 16:37 to go on a three-point shot by Criswell. The Grizzlies biggest lead was 38 points, when freshman forward Austin Swift scored on a lay-up with 5:37 to go, taking a 92-54 advantage.
Criswell made 8-of-13 shots from the field and 3-of-7 three-pointers. Strait, one of Division I??s leading field goal percentage shooters, made 10-of-15 shots, and is now shooting 67.7% (63-of-93) from the field this season.
Also in double figures for the Grizzlies were junior forward Matt Dlouhy with 12 points, while senior guard Virgil Matthews added 10.
Redshirt freshman Jordan Hasquet and ??true?? freshman Kyle Sharp each grabbed a game-high 8 rebounds, while Strait and Dlouhy each grabbed 7 boards, and Criswell and Swift had 6 apiece.
The Bulldogs were led in scoring by junior forward Wes Morales?? 17 points, while ??true?? freshman Charlie Cox, from Missoula??s Hellgate High School, scored 16 points, and sophomore guard Terry Hauser added 12 points.
Junior forward Kellen Ori led the Bulldogs with 6 rebounds.
The Griz?? 42-of-81 (51.9%) field goal attempts were season-highs and they made 8-of-19 (42.1%) treys. The Bulldogs were 23-of-58 (39.7%) from the floor and made 15-of-40 (37.5%) three-pointers.
The Grizzlies had a season-high 53 rebounds, and out-boarded the shorter Bulldogs, who suited up nine players, 53 to 26. The Griz also season-bests with 14 steals and 30 assists.
Next week the Griz make a trip to California, playing at UC Riverside on Monday, December 19, and at Santa Clara on Thursday, December 22. UM??s next game its trip to California is eight days later, a home contest on Friday December 30 against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers, a team that advanced to the NCAA??s ??Sweet 16" last season.
The Bulldogs host Northwest Nazarene on Friday, December 16.
2006 Griz Basketball Flashback: NCAA Tournament Win Over Nevada
Monday, March 30
Name As Many 90's NBA Players: Griz Basketball
Monday, March 30
Dairy Challenge: Griz Basketball
Monday, March 30
Name As Many Dinosaurs: Griz Basketball
Monday, March 30
